Russian-Israeli researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov is still alive and efforts to free her from captivity in Iraq are underway, Baghdad’s foreign minister said on Thursday.
Tsurkov was abducted in March 2023 while in Baghdad and is believed to be held by the Iran-linked Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah.
Although there has only been one ‘proof of life’ video released during her nearly two years in captivity, back in November 2023, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein told media at Davos on Thursday that she is still alive and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani is working on her release.
“Iraqi foreign minister Fuad Hussein told me in Davos that Princeton researcher Elizabeth Tsurkov who has been held hostage by an Iraqi militia is alive and stressed Prime Minister Sudani is working for her release,” Axios journalist Barak Ravid wrote on X.
Reuters also reported that Hussein confirmed that Tsurkov was still alive.
Efforts have been ongoing to secure the release of the 38-year-old Princeton doctoral student, including by officials from the US, UK, German, Austrian, and Canadian governments due to Israel and Iraq having no diplomatic relations.
Her sister, Emma Tsurkov, told Voice of America that she was frustrated by a lack of movement of Elizabeth’s release.
“[We are] pleased to see the Iraqi government acknowledge what we already know: Elizabeth is alive and being held hostage in Iraq by militias aligned with the Iraqi prime minister,” she said.
“At the same time, we are fed up with empty promises from the Iraqi government to get her released with no real follow-through.”
It is not clear if Sudani has any links to the Iran-linked militia, which is , and the prime minister has previously said he is working on securing Tsurkov’s release.
Tsurkov travelled to Iraq using her Russian passport to conduct academic research on a political movement led by Iraqi cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr when was kidnapped after leaving a cafe in Baghdad’s Al-Karada neighbourhood, according to reports.
Tsurkov had worked with NGOs and journalists on human rights in the MENA region and was a vocal opponent of Israeli occupation.
There had been little news of her fate, but there had been hopes that truce agreements for Gaza and Lebanon might help toward her release due to Iran’s alleged involvement in both conflicts.
Over 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s 15-month onslaught on Gaza with a ceasefire deal seeing the exchange of some Palestinian and Israeli captives with a second release set for Saturday.
